Hailed as the "Millenium Cheese of Italy," Cacio di Fossa literally means "cheese of the pit." During the wars between Charles VIII of France and Ferdinand of Naples, the inhabitants of Sogliano al Rubicone would hide their cheese in underground fossas or holes. This tradition carries on according to a special and somewhat complicated ritual.

In mid-August, before each cheese is tied in a burlap sack and placed in fossas dug in the porous ground (tufo), they are disinfected with fire and lined with hay. The fossas are flask shaped, about three meters deep and two meters wide. Each sack is marked with the owners' name, stacked in layers on planks of wood, and separated by sand. They are packed close together so no air can get in. The fossa is then hermetically sealed. Over the months they undergo a total re-fermentation, losing practically all the whey. On November 16th this revered cheese is "harvested" during the holiday of Santa Caterina. While some people jealously cling to their cheese, others pull it from the ground, clean it, wrap it in it's characteristic brown paper, and secure it with a string to be sold during the festivities.

Fossa has an intense and somewhat piquant flavor that makes it excellent as a table cheese with fresh fruit and honey, or grated over pasta or risotto.

Use this for a "special occasion" Romano. It's salty and dry with a little "taste of the barn" that provides dimension without overpowering the palate. Terrific shaved on salad and veggies.

By Nanettefrom Tucson, AZon Jan 06, 2013

Not my favorite!

I was really excited to try this cheese. I was disappointed in the flavor and consistency. It tastes just like a Parmesan cheese and the consistency was drier than I expected. It is the one cheese I have not finished yet and will probably end up grating over a pasta dish, which will probably be the best use of it. I do not think it is a bad cheese, but the description on the website could have done a better job describing the texture and flavor.

By Karlafrom Michiganon May 27, 2012

best cheese ever

Cacio di fossa is not just for dessert--we use it in pasta and for anything you would otherwise use reggiano parmigiano for. It does famously with mushrooms

By jonhfrom st louis, moon Oct 02, 2011

cheese lover

great taste texture

By Bobfrom Oregonon May 17, 2010

Great and unusual Italian cheese

This is a hard to find cheese that is used in San Marino and areas of Italy near that country. I used it to make passatelli, which is a blend of bread crumbs, cacio di fossa, and eggs that gets extruded into fresh chicken broth. It is really good and if you want to make something different without a lot of work, this is it. The cheese also is a more flavorful substitute for parmesan.